MUTINTA MULAYE writes
@SunZambian
THE Boma Local Court in Lusaka has ordered a woman of Shibuyunji to pay her former landlord K4,000 rental arrears that were supposed to be paid by her husband who ran away from home.
This is a case in which Laison Bwalya, 48, a businessman of Matero took Jacqueline Zulu, 39 to court so that she could settle her K4, 000 rental arrears.
Bwalya told senior local court magistrate Mukuka Ng’andu that he had earlier on advised Zulu to vacate the house but she refused and consequently accumulated K4, 000 rental arrears.
“She and her husband stayed in my house for close to a year. The husband is the one who signed the contract and I had been dealing with him. But in June, they never paid. Her husband told me to tell her he was not going to pay and when I relayed the message, she refused to vacate the house,
“I don’t know their issues but her husband left the house and she stayed alone for a while. I’ve brought her here because even when I told her the husband would not pay, she refused to shift and owes me the K4, 000 for June,” he said.
In defence Zulu told the court that she did not owe Bwalya any money because she did not sign a contract with her but her husband did.
“My husband ran away from home this year and left me with his children and ours. He sleeps in lodges but still continues paying rent. When Mr Bwalya told me my husband said he was going to stop paying, I refused because I wanted my husband to come home and tell me himself,
“Moreover, he gave me the eviction notice on June 1st and I moved out so I cannot pay the rentals he wants me to pay and I don’t owe him. I tried to negotiate with him but he refused so I moved out,” she said.
The court ordered Zulu to pay the K4, 000 rental arrears in three installments because Bwalya had communicated with her that her husband would not pay but she resisted.